Last year, the global film industry made $40 billion. The global gaming industry made $122 billion.
And the world of video games is just as broad as the film industry. There are indie games and big budget games — games that feel like a graphic novel and games that play through like a blockbuster movie.
A majority of Americans play video games every day. And while game download communities like Steam have spread games to more people, most Americans who play video games are playing on smartphones.
Indeed, some critics have suggested that future video games will abandon screens altogether, like this article from Kitguru.
There are many ingredients that make a perfect game. A compelling story, a decent challenge curve, high-quality technical execution, and uniqueness are all important, but none of those are dependent on advancing technology.
Everything we think of as advancing along with technical capabilities (such as better graphics, higher-quality sound, and realistic landscapes) are part of the same goal: immersion. Immersion is important because it helps a player block out the rest of the world, and offers them a more engaging, and therefore more emotional and stimulating experience. It’s why the majority of businesses, from clothing stores to museums, are starting to offer more in-depth, first-person experiences.
Today’s consoles and PC games are capable of providing better graphics than ever before, but there’s a fundamental limit to how immersed you can be in an experience that’s projected on a screen. As the demand for higher immersion grows, the screen will eventually disappear, replaced by more immersive mediums.
What does the future of this six-decade-old industry look like? What do video games tell us about our culture?
Produced by Paige Osburn.
GUESTS
Scott Benson, Co-founder, Late Night Work Club; co-creator, “Night in the Woods” from Infinite Fall
Austin Walker, Editor-in-chief, Waypoint; co-host, Waypoint Podcast; @austin_walker
Gita Jackson, Staff writer, Kotaku; @xoxogossipgita
Bryan Intihar, Creative director, Insomniac Games; lead developer, “Spider-Man” for PS4; @bryanintihar
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Copyright 2018 WAMU 88.5
